I have always wanted to visit Opus. Being in the rather opulent financial district (and my way through town from the Jewellery Quarter), I have walked past it's polished glass windows and seen the treasures within many a time; but have always thought it would be out of my reach due to the cost. When a couple of friends in the JQ mentioned their market menu, I figured maybe I could afford to visit after all. So, last Friday me and the other half were stuck for dinner. We wanted to go out somewhere nice, but not break the bank in a spectacular manner (as we are entering into wedding prep season). The market menu genuinely makes Opus affordable. Available all day Monday to Friday and between 6pm - 7pm on Saturdays; it's very reasonable at £10 for a main course, £14 for two courses or the full three for £16. We booked a table for 6pm (on the day - which was handy) and mooched on down to grab our dinner. We arrived a little bit early, but the friendly staff explained that they were still printing out the menu's for that nights meals and offered us a drink whilst we waited. We were sat before 6pm, so it wasn't too long. The wine list is extensive, but not cheap. We went for the £24 Viognier option (which wasn't the cheapest at £17.95) but I do love a good bottle of the stuff, so it was worth it. For starter, me and Dan both went for the Duck dish. This was gorgeously presented and was a suitable size for a substantial starter. The flavours were a great mix and I honestly have no complaints at all. For my main, I went for the "Fish of the day" which was Hake. Again, this was a light and fluffy fish dish with every ingredient complimenting the overall taste. The mash was amazing (the texture was perfect) and the peas tasted so fresh, they could have been handpicked that day. After those two courses we were quite full, but for another £2 - I wanted dessert (you'd be a fool not too, right?). I had spotted the trifle on the menu and knew what I would have even before they bought the menus over. Again... every layer was a joy in it's own right and the taste of them together was a sensation. The food was faultless, the service was pleasant, friendly and non judgemental (I had worried it was going to be a bit posh) and the venue is gorgeous. Our bill came to around £65 - which we were happy to pay for 2x 3 course meals, tip and a lovely bottle of wine. This place is highly recommended for a celebration. read more

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Opus is one of the best restaurants in Birmingham. One reason is that I credit it - or the head chef, David Colcombe for single handedly turning me on to mushroom risotto which is now one of my favourite dishes. If it's not on the menu, do see if they will make it for you. Where Opus stands out is that they use fresh seasonal ingredients so if they happen to have an opportunity to buy something that morning, it will land on the menu by lunch time. This is a large spacious, light and airy restaurant that's been in Birmingham for 6 years now. The only downside for me it's in the heart of the business district. The big upside for Opus is that they are in the heart of the business district! The lucrative lawyer money is no doubt their bread and butter revenue (excuse the pun) but what makes me go back is the excellent service and beautifully made food. read more

Opus Restaurant - British Near Me - Birmingham, XWM

I went along to Opus on a recommendation, and I've not been disappointed. We tried the Market Menu, which makes this experience really affordable. The Market Menu gives a choice of two or three courses, and there are a few alternatives available for each course. Each dish is beautifully presented, and well thought out. The service is great as to be expected. I found that the Opus experience has been consistently good whether I've visited at lunch time or during evenings. I also appreciate that they host movie nights, where they serve the Market Menu. I need to get booked into the next one. The restaurant can get a little noisy when full. If you like, there is a small private dining room that can be booked out. As expected, service is automatically added to the bill. read more

Opus Restaurant - Double baked souffle from the Opus Market Menu. Delicious as well as beautifully presented. - British Near Me - Birmingham, XWM

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Went here on a random Tuesday night for an unexpected meal out. I'd heard rave reviews so would have expected it to be a bit busier, but it was really just us and 3 other tables. It's quite a large place so I was surprised when the couple who came in after us was seated at a table basically in our lap... Moving on... We both had a glass of Sauvignon blanc which was lovely and went well with the warm bread that was brought to the table.. I got the fresh oysters to start and was a bit concerned when the server didn't know when they'd arrived. I'd assume that's quite a common question but maybe that's because I'm from a place where fresh-off-the-boat seafood is common. Luckily after consulting the kitchen she reported back they they'd arrived that morning. They were pretty standard- a nice size and had some tasty oil and horseradish to go with them. For my main I had a steak pie which didn't exactly resemble a pie.. More like the innards in a cast iron bowl. No crust, not many veggies... Having said that, it ended up being a tasty meal that I'd happily have again. (Unfortunately I cannot for the life of me remember what my husband had to eat- sorry! All I know is that he seemed content) We finished off with sticky toffee pudding which was- for lack of better words- burnt. I have had so many nice experiences with sticky toffee puds that I really didn't think it could be screwed up. I guess there's always an exception, I just wouldn't expect it from a restaurant who was working on prepping approximately 2 dishes at the time this was being made Hey, live and learn! So I guess all in all it was a nice evening but definitely not a place I'll be running back to. (Side note - we waited about 20 minutes for the bill and had to endure quite a saucy and inappropriate conversation going on between the couple next to us throughout the entirety of our time there which sort of contributes to my not so satisfied feelings about this place.. Eek!) read more

It's taken me forever to get down to Opus and, having been, I wish I'd gone sooner. Opus is one of Birmingham's surprisingly few fine dining restaurants, it's a nice, light comfortable place with plenty of space between tables to enjoy it's modern British cuisine. We came on a Friday to make the most of the spectacularly well priced "market" menu, £25 will get you a starter, main and half a bottle of wine (in contrast the normal menu mains are about that price alone). If you are going to go down this route bear in mind that they keep the prices that low by only having a few options and buying the best value things that they can find at the market so it'll change a lot. The food was vastly better than the price tag (even before considering the wine!), it was simple but everything was thoughtfully cooked, these guys do veg right. Of course we did fall into their trap and ordered deserts as well and I'm really glad we did, it was nice to get a taste of what the full menu is like and suffice to say, we'll be back to try it. read more

Went to dinner. Not impossible to park on the street nearby, but be early. Very modern and nicely lit inside, but perhaps a little too canteen like in the main room as so many tables and nothing to break it up. A good menu, but the usual annoying 12.% service charge. I chose a bottle of Margaret River Chard, 2001, and it was too old. It may have been just that bottle, but we had to revert to wine by the glass. Though we left most of the bottle, they did not re-check that it was satisfactory, so that inflated the bill. we chose salmon, crab cakes & pork roulade as starters, then followed with venison & fillet steak. The starters were very good. My principle criticism was that there was barely enough apple sauce for one of the two roulades, so I did not get the full benefit of them. The steak was adjudged excellent. The venison was also first class, but there was a need to consider ordering additional vegetables - just - and this was hinted at on the menu. The veg accompanying my venison was marred by a damaged before cooking potato that should have been discarded during prep. The fruit crumble was also good but had insufficient creme fraiche or other lubricant and was therefore dry. Good service. Would certainly go again when I am in the area, and nice to see Brum making it at last in the fine dining scene. read more

The atmosphere in here was relaxed but classy, and the waiting staff were very knowledgable about the menu. The food was delicious.. would recommend read more

Hmmm. Maybe a 4.5? I was looking for somewhere for a work outing and needed either a large table or a private room. Opus seemed to have small private rooms and my friend said he liked to eat there anyway so dropped them an email. First response to the email was slow. That was kind of disappointing. When they eventually did reply, however, Emma couldn't have been more helpful. She was able to accommodate us in the main dining room at a long table and was very easy-going about start time saying that we could have some drinks in the bar while waiting if people were delayed. We were almost too well served when we first arrived-so many offers of drinks! Unfortunately, all the bar/wait staff seemed to disappear all at once approximately 30 minutes later so that by the time some of the rest of our party arrived we were searching desperately for someone with access to the alcohol. Luckily, they reappeared and we got to order some drinks and decided to head on over to the table. We had a choice of the a la carte and the market menu. The market menu is really reasonable and the food looked good, although the desserts sounded a little dull. A la carte is more pricey but had venison which I decided I deserved because it was Thursday. I skipped starter and attacked the bread, which was OK, instead. Portions aren't huge. I wasn't stuffed after my venison, but it was very tasty. I would think you'd want three courses or the addition of sides to feel properly full. The parsnip sides were delicious. I'd go back for those any day! I had a chocolate ganache layered thing for dessert which was good and lasted maybe 10 seconds. My friend allowed me to try some of his mango dessert which was fresh and light. Service was pretty good, although I think we confused them a little! Everybody was enormously pleasant anyway so it's hard to hold much against them. The bill was kind of massive but we had plenty of wine and there were some cocktails flying around so understandably so and worth it for a fun night. No food photos because I was too busy eating and chatting. Would I go again? Yes. Absolutely. Just need a willing victim to drag... read more

Went for my work Christmas Party. Opus is very close to our work and had a set menu of three courses for £28 which considering the quality of the menu was very good value. We were sat on two round tables that were perfectly presented. There was a simple Christmas tree in the middle and printed place names with our three chosen courses. I loved this idea as it made things easy for everyone. I could also see a small mistake for my dessert choice and was able to tell the waiter that I had ordered the Crème Brule as soon as we arrived rather than find out when I was given the wrong dessert. The food was lovely. My starter was smoked salmon and prawn roulade was nice but simple. The main was awesome, I got to choose the fish of the day with a potato fondant and kale. The service was fast and professional not relying on just a few members of staff. read more

Posh and nice food - this is the sort of place you can meet firends and enjoy a good meal. It isn't cheap, but then again, why not treat yourself once in a while. the interior is stunning and the atmosphere is good, with friendly and helpfuil staff always one hand to help out and cater to your every need. read more

Maybe it's just me, but this place is posh with a capital diamond-studded cufflink. I had a business lunch/meeting/conference here; private invite-only thing, and the food and drinks were plentiful, always being topped up, and incredible. Definitely a place to come back to when you've got a few more dollars in your pocket and someone to impress on your arm. Can't really comment on prices for anything as I didn't pay for a thing on my visit... read more

Opus is a restaurant in Birmingham and I have visit this twice when I have been here visiting friends. It is idea for groups looking for a nice lively meal. One thing unique about this restaurant that appeals to me is the fact that they are committed to free rage meats. I really buy into this and for me it makes the meal all the more enjoyable. The staff were quite happy to answer and of the questions we had one the food. Last time I went was Saturday and it was really lively and really enjoyable. The food was great, the portions were not overly big but still nice all the same. It was a little costly but it ok if you are going out with a group of friends. The décor was very bright and quite inviting read more

Dined with a friend I enjoyed the lamb though I had food envy as my friends steak looked delicious. My starter was the pumpkin soup which was also very nice though neither my friend or i had room for dessert. I would have scored a 4 but due to the fact I had to call to confirm my booking as no one had got back to me when I had emailed them to book a table. I was told over the phone nothing had been booked in, also bread on the table would have been nice. read more

Located in Birmingham city centre, this is the sort of place that is a one stop centre in terms of a night out. You can eat lovely meals prepared by the resturant and then move on to the bar for drinks. Highly recommended for every one. read more

I've been to Opus a few times now (both on business and socially) and been impressed on each occasion. Prices are commensuate with the standard of food on offer; this isn't a run-of-the-mill chain restaurant. In my opinion, gymnastics27's comments are libelous and should be removed. If the staff are supposedly not given any breaks for 10 hours, then they have performed remarkably well when I've visited. Sounds like a failed interview candidate..... read more

The decor, ambience, food, service and drinks were all top notch. We were led to the bar area where we enjoyed cocktails while reading the menu and wine list. Then, after giving our food and wine order in the bar, we were accompanied to our table. The complimentary bread reminded me of Irish soda bread, and was all eaten quite quickly. Starters were fishcakes (x2) and smoked eel salad. My companions both enjoyed the fishcakes, and I thought the smoked eel was delicious; not too powerful, moist and tender. The main courses were equally good; My duck breast was tender with superb crispy skin and just the right side of pink. My companions had fillet of beef (superb) and sirloin steak (brilliant). Plates were really well presented. This was seriously good cooking. Dessert for me was a vanilla creme brule served with oat and raisin biscuit and fresh raspeberries. I confess I didn't pay attention to my friends desserts, but they both left empty plates and professed themselves delighted with their choices! A bottle of Australian Chardonnay went down very well with our meal, and the cocktail to finish seemed most appropriate. This was not a cheap night out, but having entered the restaurant at just turned 7, it was after 10 before we left and we could easily have stayed for another drink or two. I would recommend this for anyone who likes good fresh organic produce. and really good cooking. As I say, its not cheap but not exorbitent either. Suitable for any special occasion. And I will be going back there! read more